OSU hires new women's basketball coach

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Julie Goodenough has been selected as the new basketball coach for the Oklahoma State women's team, the school said Wednesday. <br><br>Goodenough, who has coached nine seasons

Wednesday, April 10th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Julie Goodenough has been selected as the new basketball coach for the Oklahoma State women's team, the school said Wednesday.

Goodenough, who has coached nine seasons at Hardin-Simmons in Abilene, Texas, replaces Dick Halterman, who was fired this year. Oklahoma State had a record of 16-15.

Goodenough, 33, is 188-54 in nine seasons at Hardin-Simmons, a NCAA Division III school.

``Julie is a builder, a team player, a positive thinker and a positive influence on young people,'' said Ann Baer, Oklahoma State's assistant athletic director. ``She exudes confidence, and is absolutely undaunted when asked about competing against the other teams of the Big 12.''

Hardin-Simmons has won seven American Southwest Conference regular-season titles and the past five in a row.

Goodenough's contract is for four years at an annual base salary of $135,000. She will also earn $35,000 a year for personal services including radio and television appearances.

Goodenough was named Coach of the Year in either the American Southwest Conference or Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association five times in the last nine years.

She played at Western Texas College and Texas-Arlington, then received her master's degree in sports administration from Texas Tech in 1993.

``This is a program and a school that can definitely recruit some of the top athletes in the country,'' Goodenough said. ``I'm excited to get out on the road and do that.''

Oklahoma State lost to Oklahoma 87-56 in the second round of the Big 12 Conference women's tournament last month.

It was Halterman's last game. The school had previously announced that his contract would not be renewed after 19 years and 332 victories for the school.